Recurrance with ascites and strange bowel movements!!!!

Tina Brown
Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
As you ladies may know my CA125 jumped from 71 to 1,280 the other weeks so I am to go back on chemo. My CT scan (take in Sept) shows little change since my treatment stopped in March this year. No ascites, all major organs, bones and lymph nodes clear. However I am finding it so hard to comprehend - this rise in numbers.

So this last 2 weeks (since I was told the news) I have noticed a bloating in my stomach area. I have put on weight and have spare tyres around my tummy but this bloating is weird as it is intermittent and often goes in the morning.

I accepted this and assumed I had IBS. I have the urge to open my bowels often and only manage to pass small amounts. Sometimes I only pass mucus which are all syptoms of IBS.

Now I am not too sure what is going on inside my abdomen? Is it possible for ascites to develop within 5 - 6 weeks? as the bloating feels so much like the ascites I had before? Could the acsites be pressing on my bowel causing the same symptoms as IBS (ie bloating, the urge to open your bowels, passing mucus only?)

I am due to start my second line chemo Nov 4th (same day I was diagnosed 2009!!!!) doxil.

I am a visual person and really need to know what is going on inside my body. I can understand things much better if I understand and can visualise things.

I guess it is quite bad only having 7 months in remission with the numbers jumping so high in such a short time & I am feeling pretty scared right now.

Please if any of you ladies experienced any strange bowel movements with ascites I would be really grateful for your imput.

Thank-you, Tina xx

Comments

  • srwruns
    srwruns Member Posts: 343
    #2
    I am so sorry to hear about
    I am so sorry to hear about this. I have read your posts since joing the site and gained much strength and insights from them. I was dx 17 days ago, starting chemo on Nov. 19th so obviously I have no experience with all the important concerns you raise. All I can offer is my prayers and thoughts for some speedy answers and quick treatment. Speedy recovery!
  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    #3
    Tina,
    I had 10 liters of
    Tina,


    I had 10 liters of abdominal ascites drawn off when I had my debulking surgery. My bowel movements were flat and thin...like ribbons. Unfortunately, yes, it is possible to have ascites develop in a short time. Within one weekend I went from being able to button my pants to having a two inch gap ;(. Keep in mind, though, that I was diagnosed at stage IIIC and my ONLY symptom was the ascites. It affected my digestion too. I couldn't eat without horrible pain (similar to gall bladder disease which they thought it was). Also, I don't think I had spare tires, I felt more like I was 10 months pregnant ;(

    The good news is this...if it is ascites EVERYONE I've read about says that chemo gets rid of it.

    Also, (and I'm preparing myself, just in case) having 7 months remission isn't necessarily bad, it seems as though treating ovarian cancer is pretty much a shotgun approach. If the first round doesn't totally kill it off, a second round of buckshot might just do the trick. (Yes, I know they don't allow guns in Great Britain, but here in the US we are quite attached to our firearms!)

    You are in my prayers and I'm sending healthy wishes across the pond to you. You , Carelene and me were all diagnosed within the same time frame, so I feel like I connect the most to you guys.

    Sending Love your way!

    Leesa
  • Tina Brown
    Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    #4
    leesag said:

    Tina,
    I had 10 liters of
    Tina,


    I had 10 liters of abdominal ascites drawn off when I had my debulking surgery. My bowel movements were flat and thin...like ribbons. Unfortunately, yes, it is possible to have ascites develop in a short time. Within one weekend I went from being able to button my pants to having a two inch gap ;(. Keep in mind, though, that I was diagnosed at stage IIIC and my ONLY symptom was the ascites. It affected my digestion too. I couldn't eat without horrible pain (similar to gall bladder disease which they thought it was). Also, I don't think I had spare tires, I felt more like I was 10 months pregnant ;(

    The good news is this...if it is ascites EVERYONE I've read about says that chemo gets rid of it.

    Also, (and I'm preparing myself, just in case) having 7 months remission isn't necessarily bad, it seems as though treating ovarian cancer is pretty much a shotgun approach. If the first round doesn't totally kill it off, a second round of buckshot might just do the trick. (Yes, I know they don't allow guns in Great Britain, but here in the US we are quite attached to our firearms!)

    You are in my prayers and I'm sending healthy wishes across the pond to you. You , Carelene and me were all diagnosed within the same time frame, so I feel like I connect the most to you guys.

    Sending Love your way!

    Leesa

    Leesa
    Oh thank-you Leesa - you don't know how reassured I feel reading your comment - particularly about the second line chemo being like "Buck-shot", you see at the end of Carbo/taxol the lowest my CA125 went was 34 and my onc said I had "a partial response" and I used to think "If only they gave me one more shot" it might have been enough to kill them all off.

    I am hoping it is ascites as I am starting my chemo - Caelyx (doxil) on Thursday so it will help it to go.

    Do you think it is possible to have ascites inside the bowel? Just a thought as I often pass clear liquid (which may be mucus associtated with IBS)

    Sending you much love as you and your husband contiue your battle with your health.

    Tina xx
  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #5
    bowel movements
    tina,

    I've never really had ascites so I can't speak to that. I was diagnosed with IBS prior to my ovca dx. Was the IBS a misdiagnosis for me? I don't really know. I have loose BM all the time. Urgency, cramping, explosion. More recently I am starting to have stomach aches. I don't know what the heck is going on with my body. Is it the cancer or the chemo?

    I know my reply wasn't any help at all!!

    XOXOXO
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980 Member
    #6
    nancy591 said:

    bowel movements
    tina,

    I've never really had ascites so I can't speak to that. I was diagnosed with IBS prior to my ovca dx. Was the IBS a misdiagnosis for me? I don't really know. I have loose BM all the time. Urgency, cramping, explosion. More recently I am starting to have stomach aches. I don't know what the heck is going on with my body. Is it the cancer or the chemo?

    I know my reply wasn't any help at all!!

    XOXOXO

    My oncologist said the digestive issues often chemo side effects
    I've had discomfort in my torso and under my rib cage every time I was getting chemo and always worry that it is cancer progression. But my oncologist said that the normal cells in the digestive track are typically fast-growing cells, and so chemo attacks them the same way it attacks your hair follicles: 'friendly fire'. So don't assume that digestive issues are cancer spread, as it can easily be a side affect of chemo. My bowels are often a mess, and that was true even when I was in remission.

    My reply is also no help, I imagine, but meant to quiet some of the fear you may be having. (((hugs)))
  • Tina Brown
    Tina Brown Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    #7
    lindaprocopio said:

    My oncologist said the digestive issues often chemo side effects
    I've had discomfort in my torso and under my rib cage every time I was getting chemo and always worry that it is cancer progression. But my oncologist said that the normal cells in the digestive track are typically fast-growing cells, and so chemo attacks them the same way it attacks your hair follicles: 'friendly fire'. So don't assume that digestive issues are cancer spread, as it can easily be a side affect of chemo. My bowels are often a mess, and that was true even when I was in remission.

    My reply is also no help, I imagine, but meant to quiet some of the fear you may be having. (((hugs)))

    Thank you
    I have not started my new chemo yet - it is Thursday - Caelyx (doxil) so I am thinking that my cancer cells maybe attaching themselves to the wall of my bowel and irritating it to work in over time. I only seem to experience these strange bowel movements after I've eaten and sometimes in the morning so I am only eating small amounts. I am quite reassured I haven't got bowel cancer as there is no blood - quite the opposite greenish/yellowish in colour with mucus & sometimes clear fluid.

    So I am really hoping once I begin my chemo it will sort it all out :) Fingers crossed.

    Thank-you for your comments

    Tina xx
  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #8
    Tina Brown said:

    Thank you
    I have not started my new chemo yet - it is Thursday - Caelyx (doxil) so I am thinking that my cancer cells maybe attaching themselves to the wall of my bowel and irritating it to work in over time. I only seem to experience these strange bowel movements after I've eaten and sometimes in the morning so I am only eating small amounts. I am quite reassured I haven't got bowel cancer as there is no blood - quite the opposite greenish/yellowish in colour with mucus & sometimes clear fluid.

    So I am really hoping once I begin my chemo it will sort it all out :) Fingers crossed.

    Thank-you for your comments

    Tina xx

    loose BM
    I remember having a conversation with Susan(53?) about loose BM. I think she is back in remission and she told me she has strong urgency all the time. I've had episodic events of strong urgency since I had my illeostomy reversed in Feb of 2009. For me, it is tough to say if it is the cancer, chemo or just my body. My point is, I had these events even when I was in remission.
  • Tasgirl
    Tasgirl Member Posts: 85
    #9
    Tina Brown said:

    Leesa
    Oh thank-you Leesa - you don't know how reassured I feel reading your comment - particularly about the second line chemo being like "Buck-shot", you see at the end of Carbo/taxol the lowest my CA125 went was 34 and my onc said I had "a partial response" and I used to think "If only they gave me one more shot" it might have been enough to kill them all off.

    I am hoping it is ascites as I am starting my chemo - Caelyx (doxil) on Thursday so it will help it to go.

    Do you think it is possible to have ascites inside the bowel? Just a thought as I often pass clear liquid (which may be mucus associtated with IBS)

    Sending you much love as you and your husband contiue your battle with your health.

    Tina xx

    Hi Tina
    I asked my gyn/onc
    Hi Tina
    I asked my gyn/onc what would happen if my ascites came back and he said CHEMO!! So that is how they treat a recurrence of ascites where I go.
    Good luck with your treatment. Jenny

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